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Yosemite Trip Report - Memorial Day

Submitted by admin on May 28 11:36 pm

Nice to see everyone in the Valley this weekend! We had 24 people in our spacious campsites, and as always there was a great mix of old timers, newbies, climbers, hikers, and even a few big wall people! Stephan, Conner, and Ysbrand warm up the weekend Friday with a run up Royal Aches 5.7 A0 as a party of three. 15 pitches, 11 raps, 10 hours car to car – nice work boys! You get to huddle in your space blankets another night!On Saturday, Ross, Kyle, and Chris climb the 5 pitches of Nutcracker 5.8 as a party of three, and do some trad fall practice on the mantle move. Uninjured they still have time to run up 3 pitches of The Grack 5.6. We had 10 people cragging at Church Bowl, where Conner got his first 10a trad lead on Church Bowl Tree. Bruce and Mylene drive up Hwy 140 and warm up at Parkline Slab. Marco and Anna drive up in the morning, and stop to do Generator Crack 10c. Marco says ‘it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life’. Congrats to Carolina who does her first big wall climb on Washington Column with YMS. Paul and I walk over to Royal Arches area and climb Trail by Fire 5.8. Paul calls this sustained wide crack a ‘grovel fest’. We later link up with Ling and Mark who are swapping leads on Super Slide 5.9 – awesome crack climbing on an exposed white slab. Mark leads the final 5.9 pitch.On Sunday the club has two more teams on Royal Aches. Marco and Anna send in ~9 hours car to car. Bruce and Mylene get their money’s worth at ~11 hours. Both teams used the rap route to descend. Mark, Ling, and Leanne head to Pat and Jack, a great crag with short approach and home to Nurdle 5.8, Golden Needles 5.8, and Knob Job 10b – some of my favorites. Burke and Steve climb The Grack 5.6 and rescue a spooked leader and his wife back to safety. Speaking of rescues, Leanne rescued a big white hound from highway death late Friday night, then she and Joni delivered her to the local Human Society. Ross, Kyle, and Chris return to Manure Pile and do the 6 pitches of After Six 5.7 as a party of three. Evan and his friends get a wilderness permit and joined the young grunge crowd in the backcountry. Kelly and I climb the Apron Jam 5.9, Mr Natural 10c/d link up over on Glacier Point Apron. Kelly fires the 10a section, takes a rest, examines the 10c/d and yells down ‘I think this is do-able!’ phew – so happy to have a TR on this desperately thin crack.On Monday, Ross heads out for another threesome! - this time with John and Kyle on Commitment 5.9 at Five Open Books. The rest of the gang head back to Church Bowl. Burke leads the 5 star Bishop Terrace 5.8 - his new personal best – so stoked! Paul takes me up the wide Uncle Fanny 5.7 and says ‘measure your success in inches’. Rope gun Kelly sends Revival 10a and we all get to take a ride on the TR – love that roof lie back move!

After the climbing we jump off the bridge into the Merced River, lay in the meadow and watch the guys on the Nose get ready to do the King Swing – ahhh the CCC life. Have a good week, and hope to see you at the Leap in 2 weeks. Summer is on! If you have pics, post’em up and send us a link.